Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 42, DeMotte, Jasper County, 7 September 1939 — FARM TOPICS [ARTICLE]

FARM TOPICS

FARMERS LOSE CASH GRAZING WOODLANDS Forestry Specialist Points Out Common Fallacy.

By R. W. GRAEBER

Farmers who graze cattle In vood lands lose money both in milk r beef and in timber and erosion ohtrol Experiments have shown that onaged woodlands yield an annu--1 return of about $4 per acre, and at the best open pastures yield nit the same amount. However, cert grazing and forestry are comnc i on the same area, the yields ,e much less, the total.annual ream for typical woodland pasture ■ g only SI per acre Why do farmers run their cattle the woods? There is only one deal reason: They think they can ck up an extra dollar or two by etting the cattle pick a fevf buds and wigs in early spring, along with e low-growing plants and a few prigs of grass or briairs which lay grow where a c few rays of unlight reach the ground ! This is a fallacy. A farmer "oesn’t pick up an extra dollar or wo; the cows do not prjoduce as nuch milk or as much beef as vixen they graze ■in open] pasture; he timber supply is reduced; grazng woodlands induces erosion and oss of leaf litter; the fencing bill s higher. ' j - ' ,